Illuminated tool



Dec. 19, 1922. 1,439,404

C. L. COTHARIN.

ILLUNHNATED TooL. FILED MAR, 1 I 1922, 2 swears-sneer 1 Claudkjf. CbZZara'rz Dec. 19, 1922. 1,439,404

C. L. COTHARIN. |LLUMINATED TOOL, FILED MAR. 11, 1922.. 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 I H I 4 I A l l v 4 7 l .x A l i; A 4- v l f h v Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

UNITED STATES CLAUDE L. COTHARIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINDIS.

ILLUMINATED TOOL.

Application filed March 11, 1922.

To [/77 wit/ml "it may con/(fern:

lie it known that I. CLAFDE L. Contains. a citizen of the. United States residing at 4611 North llermitage Avenue. Chicago, in

the county of: ook and State of Illinois. have invented a. new and useful Improvement inv Illuminated Tools. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of illuminated tools wherein a tool is provided on the end of a handle formed of a flashlight serving to illuminate the tool for facilitating its use in dark places.

()ne of the more important objects of my improvement is to render the tool readily attachable to and i'letachahle from the illuminating handle. thereby to enable a succession of different tools to he ope 'atively combined with the same handle. such object i to provide the flashlight-fori'n of handle of such insulated construction as to avoid exposing metal portions thereof to such contact with any external metal ob ject that ma be encounterw in using the tool as would draw a spa .ich might ignite surrounding gas. or a icent gasoline with disastrous result.

ln the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a broken view in elevation partly sectional. showing a scrcwalriver applied to the illuminating handle in accordance with my invention: Figure 1 is a broken view of the same regarded from a side of the showing in Fig. 1: Figure 3 is aview in elevation of a wrench and Figure 4- is a similar view of a pair of pliers. each provided with means adapting it to be removably applied as represented of the tool in Fig. 1: Figure 5 is an enlarged broken view in section taken on line a t). Fig. l: Figure (3 is a section on line (L43. .Fig. :3: Fig ure 7 is a rear-end view of the illuminating handle. and Figure 3 is a section of the in sulatcd casing of the handle on line s Fig. 53 and showing a spring contact-memhcr therein in elevation.

'lhe prefcrrtal coustrui'lion of the ilasln light 9 to best adapt it for my purpose of an illuminating handle for tool. such as a screwdriver to. a wrench ll. a pair of pliers 12 or the like. is that most clearly illustrated in Fig. I and hereii'iafter described. The tool 10 represented in Fig. l as a screw-driver is shown to be formed. for

Another Serial No. 542,977.

the purposes hereinafter explained, with a bifurcated extension 10 though the number of forks may exceed two when desirable for the strengthening purpose; and between the ends of the fork extends, integral therewith, a collar 13 to fit snugly about the, lens-carrying end of the handle 9, in which position the collar is secured as by a screw 10 inserted through an edge-slot 1O therein and passing through the insulated flashlightcasing to prevent the handle 9 from turning .in the collar in working the tool. This manner of securing the screw-driver in its illuminative position enables it to be readily detached by merely pulling the collar otl" the handle 9 for substituting thereon another tool provided with a similarly slotted or notched collar 13. such as the wrench 11 or pliers 12 shown. on which latter the collar extends from a shortened handle-member '19. the other normal handle-member being preferably covered with insulating material 12: and the collar on the wrench 11 extends from its rear end. as shown in Fig. 3.

The collar 13 not only forms means for both readily applying a tool provided therewith to and as readily detaching it from a flashlight. with the advantage of tool-interchangeability hercinbefore explained. but by the collar being integral with the tool. the connta'ting means and tool are necessarily removed in entirety. thus lea 'ing no lightohstructing tool-attaching means permanently on the flashlight. Moreover. my collar-form of attaching means not only presents no obstruction to the light for illuminating the work-engaging end of the tool. but even when the latter is reinforced for strength. as represented in Fig. 1. by providing it with a forked extension to carry the collar. the forks are so disposed as to intcrpose the minimum obstruction to the light-rays l'NfWPtIl the lens of the illuminat ing handle and the outer tool-end.

The tlashlighbtype of illuminating handle shim-1'2? omprises the construction described as follows:

The casing containing the usual or any suitable battery-cell 14 comprises a metal cylinder 15. preferably formed in two cylin drical sections between which is interposed a ring 15 of insulating material. and which is encased in a cylinder 16 of insulating material. preferably lined with insulation 17. the latter being topped by an insulating seat- 

